How Galaxy Watch Active 2 Intends To Compete With Apple Watch Series 4

Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Watch Active 2 is set to compete with the Apple Watch Series 4 thanks to a slew of new health features.

Samsung is reportedly working on a successor to the Galaxy Watch Active even when it hasn’t even reached its first birthday. The new Galaxy Watch Active 2, as it is called, will have new electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor and Atrial Fibrillation notification features rivalling that of the Apple Watch Series 4, and can be expected to compete with Apple’s wearable.

The Galaxy Watch Active 2 is also expected to come with a fall detection feature that will sense if the wearer falls to the ground and is unable to get up. Should the wearer take a hard fall, the Watch Active 2 will either inform trusted contacts or call for emergency services.

These features show Samsung’s commitment to turn the Galaxy Watch Active line into the perfect wearable for health-conscious people and fitness buffs. Sources speaking to Wareable, however, said that despite the enhancements, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 sits “halfway between the Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Watch Active,” and will have health and fitness as its primary focus.

Later

One of the key health features in the lineup, however, will not come with the device once it’s launched. According to Wareable’s sources, Samsung is poised to reveal the Galaxy Watch Active 2 next month along with the launch of the Galaxy Note 10.

Samsung will also reveal the ECG feature on the said date, but will announce that it will be released at a later time after the company secures an approval from the FDA. Once Samsung acquires approval, it will release the ECG via a software update in 2020.

While some might complain about the delay, it’s worth noting that Apple also released the ECG function for the Apple Watch Series 4 after it was launched. It wasn’t a dealbreaker for Apple, and it won’t be a dealbreaker for Samsung.

The Galaxy Watch Active 2, after all, will still come with its other health features at launch. What’s more, the new wearable will come in three variants: an LTE version that allows users to take and make calls, a Bluetooth-only version, and a Bluetooth-only version with the Under Armour branding on it. All three will be available in 40mm and 44mm sizes save for a rose gold model limited to 40mm sizes only.